AUBURN — The summer and fall at Lost Valley Ski and Snowboard area have been all about improving the skier experience — from cutting a new trail, widening runs, adding snowmaking capability, lighting, and installing towers for a third lift.

The focus this week is on erecting eight towers that will form the structure of Lost Valley’s third double chairlift. It replaces the old T-bar and will service the left, or south side of the mountain up over Coyote trail.

Each tower weighs about 5,000 pounds and crews used a large excavator to do the heavy work.

Once installed, cables and pulleys will be strung, and 45 chairs will whisk skiers up the hillside in 2-3 minutes. Lift No. 3 will terminate adjacent to lift No. 1 over Bull Moose trail.

Workers carry blocking to set under a lift tower Wednesday morning on the Coyote trail as an excavator sets it down to reposition the straps before hoisting it onto it’s foundation at Lost Valley Ski Area in Auburn. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

The end result should be less congestion on the right side of the mountain and some separation with training programs and racing, which tends to use the more difficult runs. Lighting has also been added, some trees were felled to widen existing trails and one new trail named Raccoon has been added between Lynx and Logging Trail.

Snowmaking capability has also been expanded the past two years, with the focus this year on increasing the footprint of where they can make snow, something that becomes more critical at ski resorts with warmer winters.

In 2015, when the ski area was purchased by Scott and April Shanaman, there were 14 snow guns. This season, 25-30 guns can be in use and next year should see even more.

General Manager John Herrick said he can’t guarantee the third lift will be open by Christmas, but he’s confident it will open this season. He said the outer parking lot has also been improved — leveled and graded to handle up to an additional 150 vehicles, for a total of 350-400 spaces.